Premier League vote to keep VAR next season after failed Wolves bid

The Premier League will continue using video assistant referees (VAR) next season, Soccernet.football reports.

Only Wolves voted to scrap it at the league’s annual general meeting on Thursday.

Wolves had called for a vote on VAR’s future after submitting a formal resolution in May. To remove VAR, 14 of the 20 clubs needed to vote in favour.

BBC Sport understands that Wolves did not receive enough support. Clubs like Manchester City, Arsenal, and Tottenham prefer to keep VAR but want improvements.

One club reportedly said the current VAR system “isn’t working” and acknowledged issues with it.

Despite Wolves’ unsuccessful proposal, most clubs agree VAR needs a major overhaul. Howard Webb, head of refereeing body PGMOL, confirmed changes are being considered.

Next season, the Premier League is likely to trial in-game VAR announcements from referees, similar to FIFA’s recent trials. These announcements will only confirm decisions after they are made, enhancing transparency.

Additionally, the Premier League plans to introduce semi-automated offsides in the autumn to speed up decisions, although recent examples show the system still faces challenges.